Midnight Wolves

Chapter Two: Wave

J couldn't help but stare at the young she-wolf.

She was beautiful. And not just, you know, young and engaging. No, her daughter was simply beautiful.

She giggled and the entire world glowed brighter for just a moment. J's heart warmed and the tension in her shoulders lessened.

Ever since she'd had the call from Cassidy, J had been on high alert. She'd spoken to Callie a few times and the she-wolf had seemed a bit off but J hadn't been able to decipher why. Now she had a sense of what the reason was.

J was impressed, really. Getting Rootbridge and surrounding packs to submit to her...

J couldn't blame the she-wolf for wanting a little space and a change of scenery. Of course, J's new alpha hadn't been keen on her visiting. It would seem that word had travelled of the young, powerful she-wolf.

Eventually he'd agreed. Whether J still held more power than she thought, or whether he took pity on her, she wasn't sure. But if she was going to die of MSA, the least she could do was use it to her advantage on occasion.

She knew the she-wolf had arrived long before a messenger turned up at her door with her in tow. She smiled wide at Callie and opened her arms expectantly.

Callie's bottom lip wobbled and before J knew it, the young wolf had thrown herself into J's arms and begun to sob against her chest.

*

It had been a long time since Callie had seen J in person, longer still since she'd been able to be this close to her. At Logan's memorial they'd all shared their memories of him around the large tower that had been erected in honour of the fallen. Then they'd spent the evening in one another's company, sat in relative silence until the night had long drawn in. By morning, J, her grandmother and her daughter, Ava, had gone.

Ava was sat opposite Callie at the moment. A bundle of curiosity and light. Her silver eyes shone as she giggled, twisting the toy in her hands in circles. J sat beside Callie in silence, her watchful eyes trained on Ava. Although J's frame was slighter than Callie had seen and a fragility had returned to her frame, she looked much better than last time she'd been suffering from MSA. Whatever Leah was giving her was working – that and the light and life of the child in front of her.

It was as though J was living for her. Through her.

Callie's heart quickened at the inescapable love J showed for her daughter. Had Callie's own mother been so devoted? Had the woman that Callie could only remember in fragments, ever looked at her in the way that J looked at Ava?

Jealously pooled deep in Callie's gut.

"I know you're not going to want to hear this Cal'," J interrupted Callie's thought, she jumped at the intrusive sound. "But I think you should go to the Magnum pack, face them. See what they know."

Callie's head was shaking 'no' before J had even finished. "I-I can't. I can't face them," she whispered softly, her hand trembling at the thought as fear crawled and creeped up her spine until it tightened around her throat.

J placed a reassuring hand on her arm as though she could sense the change. "I'll come with you if you like? It'd be nice to see Caleb." Callie flinched. "Sorry. Sore subject, I'm sure." J finished, giving her a small, sad smile.

Callie tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and sighed slowly. "I can't ask that of you, J. I just don't understand why my wolf is acting out, I feel like I don't know her at the moment."

J was quiet, thoughtful. The only sound in the small yet well-appointed house was Ava's giggling. "Is that why you came to me? Because you wanted some advice about feeling distant from your wolf?"